Efforts to find a care home provider willing to operate from Leighton Buzzard’s former police station site will be stepped up after outline permission was granted for the land’s development.

But one resident who spoke at Wednesday’s development control committee of Central Beds Council will be dismayed at the decision, after telling the committee of the severe impact the scheme would have on his family.

Samuel Towe said his Hockliffe Road home would be overlooked by the new building which would have up to 68 bedrooms.

He said: “The police station is two storey, if planning permission is granted my house would be severely overlooked by the three storey building directly facing my garden and rear of my house.”

He added: “Hockliffe Road is already an incredibly busy road and well beyond capacity when it comes to traffic flow and parking. This will only worsen with the proposed build. The entrance to the care home is directly adjacent to my property, five metres from my front door.”

He said there would be considerable disturbance during the demolition and build phases as well as when the home was in operation, adding: “What is going to be done to compensate residents directly affected by the new building? Both direct neighbours have moved properties due to this.”

Central Beds Council submitted the outline planning application for the 1.11 acre site after completing the purchase of the land in November last year for £930,000.

Simon Tindle, for Barford&Co, the council’s agent, pointed out the plans were only indicative at this stage and matters of layout access, scale and landscaping would be considered when a reserved matters application was brought forward by a care home operator once one had been indentified.

He said privacy for neighbouring properties had been highlighted as one of the key constraints of the site early on, but said a “suitable separation distance” between neighbouring properties could be achieved.

Ward councillor Brian Spurr said he felt the condition attached to the outline permission would give Mr Towe some protection and added that the detail of how the site would be developed would not be settled until later on.

He added that he wished to see works contained within the site with vehicles not parked in Hockliffe Road when the build took place.

A planning officer added that the distance between Mr Towe’s property and the new care home would be greater than the minimum 21 metres set in CBC’s design guide.

He said there would be a constuction management plan to ensure work took place at reasonable hours.

Cllr Tom Nichols said he supported the plan, adding: “It is going to be a useful and important facility for Leighton Buzzard and outer areas.”

Cllr Mike Blair said the concept was fine, but expressed concern about market forces.

He said: “It’s very disturbing that West Central Beds is deficient in [care home] places when a short time ago we lost an approved care home in Ampthill due to developers being unable to find a care home operator who was willing to pay their price.

“How are we going to protect the intention to have a care home when ultimately it is going to have to be marketed and the normal market forces as regards funding for a care home will apply, the same that applied in Ampthill and which led to an inability to bridge that gap?”

He said the Ampthill site was now totally housing.

Cllr Ray Berry pointed out Leighton-Linslade Town Council supported the plan, particularly with the likely closure of Westlands Care Home.

He said: “We are going to need the care home, as a town and as Central Beds. It’s an admirable use of the site. The facility is essential. Access is much better than to the old police station.”

> The vote went 9-0 in favour of the outline plan, with one abstention.

St Judes Clinic Physiotherapists in Leighton Buzzard will be promoting the importance of active ageing to mark Older People’s Day in October.

Working with The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, they will be offering free expert advice and support on ways to help you live a healthy and active life.

St Judes will be holding an advice stand at Morrisons in Lake Street, Leighton Buzzard, on Wednesday, October 18 between 9.30am and 12.30pm.

They will be offering trips and falls prevention advice and free walking stick and footwear checks and recommendations.

In the UK one third of those aged 65 and over will have a fall, which equates to more than 3 million falls a year and half of those will fall again within the next 12 months.

Falls are the leading cause of serious ill health, leading to hospitalisation and death in the over 75s and account for 95% of all hip fractures costing the NHS £1 billion a year.

Some simple steps can be taken to help prevent accidents from trips and falls.

St Judes’ top tips to help prevent falls:

• Maintain good physical fitness, muscle tone and strength, balance and flexibility – help yourself to keep fit by getting more active

• Wear well-fitted shoes, in good condition, that support the feet and ankles and have a good grip

• Avoid slippery surfaces whilst wearing socks or tights

• Remove trip hazards around the home; wires, rugs and unnecessary clutter that interrupt walkways

• Use non-slip mats in places like the kitchen and bathroom, and consider grab rails to help getting in/out of the shower/bath

• Have good lighting at home to enable good visibility

• Maintain good foot health – get your feet checked regularly by an HCPC registered Podiatrist

• Ask for help with activities you are struggling with

• Avoid long clothing that might cause a trip hazard like trailing dressing gown belts

Regular weight-bearing exercise helps to maintain bone density in later life, weaker bones can increase the risk of fractures which is another good reason to keep active.

After the age of 30, we can lose 8% of muscle mass per decade but it’s never too late to increase muscle strength, maintain bone density and improve your balance - try the following activities:

• Swimming or aqua aerobics

• Cycling

• Brisk walking

• Gardening

• Tennis

Exercise will also help you to cut the risks of, and better manage, heart disease, some cancers, type 2 diabetes, stroke and mental illness.

Physiotherapists can assess your physical condition, gait (the way you walk), balance and muscle strength. Together they can help with an exercise programme to improve your balance, strength and flexibility. They can work with you to address issues/obstacles in your home and agree on how best to reduce your risks of trips and falls. They can advise you on types of activities that are safe and suitable for you, e.g. Pilates and pool exercises.

All this week (Monday 16th to Saturday 21st) St Judes will also be providing free 10-minute advice chats at their clinic in Lake Street with their physiotherapists – just give them a call to book in your session or pick up a leaflet. For more information contact St Judes Clinic, 26 Lake Street, Leighton Buzzard LU7 1RX or call: 01525 377751 or email: enquiries@stjudesclinic.com. Further information is also available from: www.csp.org.uk

If you love cheese, wine, history, sunshine, beaches, fancy hotels good food and hate long haul destinations, let me introduce you to Menorca.

The little, sister island to Majorca has an almost unparalleled offering and if you choose to visit, which you should, I cannot recommend the adults-only Barcelo Hamilton hotel highly enough.

I spent only a few days on the island but I left with no qualms, only a desperate desire to return,

The flight to the capital Mahon is around two hours making it quicker to reach than the Spanish mainland, this is ideal for a weekend break where every hour counts.

What’s more, as Menorca is only 30 miles by 10 miles, sightseeing and discovering all that the island has to offer is easy, and driving on very quiet roads is not a scary proposition for hire car novices.

Barcelo Hamilton is just a 10-minute drive from the airport in an unrivalled location at the mouth of the island’s natural harbour – the biggest in the Med and the second largest in the world. This was one of many fascinating facts about the island I learned during my stay and there were lots more surprising stories to come, not least Britain’s own occupation of the strategically important island in the 18th century.

The urban beach hotel is a godsend for those looking for a quiet getaway, with all the facilities you can want for a rejuvenating break. It’s a Brit favourite. The provision of a ‘proper’ kettle to make tea in the room is a big tick from me!

The hotel stands right on the water and I found lounging on my room’s balcony in the morning and the evening just watching the many vessels, large and small make their way to and from the port of Mahon fascinating. It’s the most easterly point of Spain and therefore the first to see the sunrise in the morning.

Our drive there from the airport took us through the narrow streets of Es Castell, all radiating from what was once a military parade ground and still surrounded by the former barracks buildings. It’s an easy walk from the hotel to the village’s cafes and small shops.

It was hard however to drag myself away from the hotel’s delights. With two pools on the ground floor and six jacuzzis on the amazing roof terrace there were plenty of places to cool off from a stint of sunbathing. My most taxing decision was choosing a good spot for taking in the rays as I waited for my favourite tipple to be brought over from the Blue Sky Bar. Try the Menorcan speciality of pomada – a blend of local gin, originally made by the British, with lemonade which is deliciously refreshing.

The room-for-two Balinese beds are made for an ultimate luxury lounging experience.

At night it has a different kind of beauty with coloured lights enhancing the atmosphere and DJ sessions for party lovers.

The in-house spa offers a wide range of treatments and my head, neck and back massage was a delight. There’s a sauna and hammam (steam bath) and double treatment rooms for couples as well as a fitness centre.

The Sa Cuina restaurant within the hotel offers buffet-style breakfasts, lunches and dinners and there’s a big choice. But I particularly loved the more intimate, waterside Sa Cova restaurant with its a la carte menu specialising in seafood and local cuisine washed down with some fine wines, including offerings from the nearby Binifadet winery.

I particularly loved the chef’s lobster stew, Andalusian style calamari with wasabi aioli and the suckling pig. This is a special treat with a typical meal with wine costing around 40 Euros (£35) per person.

Following dinner head up to the Sky Bar or the Es Mirador Lobby Bar for a cocktail and to enjoy some live music.

Getting into Mahon itself couldn’t be easier or more relaxing. You can drive, of course, but I found hiring a private water taxi from the tiny harbour of Cales Fonts, a few minutes’ walk from the hotel fun and relaxing too. You can be dropped off at the harbour side near the centre of town, although there are quite a few steps to climb before getting to main street level at the Placa del Carme. I was assured a lift is being built at some time soon.

The city is a compact and a pretty delight – for nature lovers there is an incredible 900 species of flowering plants recorded. Many are those typical of the Mediterranean but some are endemic. Throughout the summer there are festivals to attend but prior to this between March and May, flowers enthusiast can see 25 different orchids in bloom.

Taking a walking tour is the best way to see it and learn about its history - this Balearic Island has a mix of colonial and local architecture.

There is a great deal of evidence of the British occupation with elegant townhouses with sash windows. I was particularly intrigued by the fact that many of the shutters were painted dark green together with the use of dark red paint on doors and frames. It was explained that these were the colours used on the naval ships of the time and the townsfolk used up what paint was left over. The tradition has remained and looks stunning.

The cloisters alongside Carme church house a great market and arcade of shops where you can bag some typical Menorcan buys including Mahon cheese, gin and even a pair of the now world-famous former peasant sandals known as abarcas, at around 25 Euros (£20) – a lot less than Stella McCartney’s designer versions. There is also a central avenue of shops where you can browse and buy into the night.

Nearby, in what is part of the city’s fish market, fascinating in itself, there are a range of tapas bars with a mouth-watering and, at times, bewildering array of choices, a great place to have lunch.

Menorca is famous for its cheese, and you can binge on that as it’s delicious, but there’s fish, meat and sweet treats too – even mini cones of battered fish and chips if you really must keep your British hat on.

For a welcome respite from the Mediterranean sunshine and for a fascinating insight into the island’s long history, including its Roman and Moorish influences, the Museum de Menorca, housed in a beautiful former 17th century monastery, is a calm delight.

But the sea always seems to be drawing you back from this city on the hill and an ideal way to explore the harbour itself is on a boat trip. I chose an excursion on the glass-bottomed Yellow Catamaran with a commentary that gives you many historical facts before discovering what the underwater depths have to show.

The water taxi took me back towards my hotel passing some gorgeous yachts along the way.

But if you ever do leave the hotel, try these outings from the hotel.

Beaches: Punta Prima (10 minute drive), Cala en Porter (20 minute drive), Son Bou (30 minute drive), Cala Galdana (45 minute drive)

Menorca has 46 beaches and the island itself is designated a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO for its great balance of nature to tourism. There are some beautiful sandy beaches on the south coast, some of which are pristine and secluded. One of the best with facilities for tourists who like that kind of thing is Cala Galdana. The secluded bay has crystal clear waters off a sandy beach, very safe for children and with facilities providing everything you’d need for a day in the sun but without feeling too touristy.

Binifadet Winery (30 minute drive)

This small vineyard, opened to the public in 2014, is a great place to while away a couple of hours on a tour and a meal on the charming vine covered patio. It’s family-run and began as a project to make wine for the Angles family. It grew from there and now exports around the world. There is red, white, rose and sparkling wine. You can learn about the wine processes and take tastings during a very pleasant stay. www.binifadet.com

To round off your evening after your fill of local wine travel a short distance to a spectacular location on the south coast to watch the sun go down. Cova d’en Xoroi is a very popular entertainment destination in Cala en Porter, a resort popular with Brit holidaymakers. This amazing cave and cliff-face terraces linked by hundreds of steps is a jaw dropping, not to mention breath sapping experience. Listen to music and sup your favourite cocktail as you watch the sun go down to the sound of a live band. www.covadenxoroi.com

Jaime Mascaro shop (30 minute drive)

No trip abroad is complete without a shopping blowout and this shoe shop extraordinaire doesn’t disappoint. It’s the home of the internationally famous Pretty Ballerinas brand of pumps, a favourite of Kate Moss. You can bag some bargain luxury hand-made shoes including their own take on the traditional abarcas sandals in all colours imaginable, children’s shoes, handbags, accessories and leather jackets. www.mascaro.com

Fornells (40 minute drive)

This charming harbour and fishing village on the north coast is a great place for a leisurely lunch of super fresh seafood and a browse around charming individual shops. Most of the restaurants have a direct view of the water and it has an unhurried, exclusive atmosphere.

Fact box

Barceló Hamilton

Rates at Barceló Hamilton start from £86, based on two sharing on a B&B basis including taxes (the hotel closes on October 31, 2017 and re-opens on May 1, 2018). To book visit www.barcelohamiltonmenorca.com or call +34 971 362 050

Center Parcs held its seventh annual Supplier Awards at Center Parcs Woburn Forest, recognising and celebrating the very best of over 2,000 suppliers.

The event was the biggest yet, with 220 nominations submitted across the 13 categories and 103 attendees gathered to celebrate the awards.

Categories included the best local suppliers for each of the five Center Parcs villages and awards for suppliers across key areas of the business, from food and beverage to retail, leisure, housekeeping and technical services.

And Bedford-based The English School of Falconry won the award for Local Supplier of Woburn Forest.

Raj Singh-Dehal, HR & Commercial Services Director said: “We do not just see our suppliers as suppliers, we see them as long term partners who support us every day of the year, through thick and thin. Our suppliers range from local companies, to SMEs to multi-billion turnover multi-national conglomerates and everything in between. The Supplier Awards 2017 was the biggest and best ceremony yet and saw our outstanding suppliers come together, allowing us to say a special thank you.”

The top award of the ceremony went to Molson Coors Brewing Company, who won the overall title of Supplier of the Year. Molson Coors have worked as the beer supplier to Center Parcs for over a year now and have forged strong and robust relationships with the teams on villages.

Martyn Smith, Head of Procurement said: “Molson Coors Brewing Company have provided excellent training, brilliant support and both fast and effective communication to Center Parcs villages this year. The range of products they offer has had a hugely positive impact for our guests, with guest service scores improving as a result. They particularly impressed us when over 80 technicians changed 300 beer pumps overnight in a 12 hour period across all villages, with no technical issues. “

Full list of winners:

Delivering Excellent Service – Food & Beverage and Retail

Molson Coors Brewing Company

Delivering Excellent Service – Leisure

Cromartie Hobbycraft Limited

Delivering Excellent Service – Housekeeping

British Heart Foundation

Delivering Excellent Service – Technical Services

Airwave Europe Limited

Delivering Excellent Service – Head Office

Creative Marketing Services

Delivering Excellent Service – Sustainability Initiative

Future Biogas Limited

Mills & Reeve LLP

Delivering Excellent Service – Local Supplier Sherwood Forest

General Services Mansfield Limited

Delivering Excellent Service – Local Supplier Elveden Forest

Alton Wahlberg

Delivering Excellent Service – Local Supplier Whinfell Forest

Compass Services Group

Delivering Excellent Service – Local Supplier Longleat Forest

Longleat Scuba

Delivering Excellent Service – Local Supplier Woburn Forest

The English School of Falconry

Delivering Excellent Service – Outstanding Individual

Parvinder Sandhu of Stoneseed IT

Supplier of the Year

Molson Coors Brewing Company

Visit the Isle of Wight to follow in the footsteps of a queen, writes Ruth Brindle

You’ve watched the TV series and seen the film Victoria & Abdul at the cinema, now experience some of those locations for yourself on a tour around the Isle of Wight.

This was Victoria’s favourite place to take a holiday with her beloved Albert and their children and after spending a long weekend here it’s easy to see why.

Admittedly I wasn’t staying in the splendour of the royal home at Osborne House, but I was just next door in a building that was once part of the estate. The Albert Cottage Hotel is charming and very individual. But more of that later.

Quite rightly the Isle of Wight tourist board Visit Isle of Wight is making the most of all this on-screen exposure to lure many more tourists to this already popular island with the recent launch of a fantastic and well thought out Victoria’s Island Trail.

You can follow in the Queen’s footsteps around the island with an interactive online map or by picking up a leaflet to see some her favourite places and other locations of royal significance.

This not only takes in their grand and gorgeous ‘holiday home’ Osborne House in East Cowes but also other smaller venues Victoria and Albert favoured as off-duty holidaymakers - even the hotel where she regularly enjoyed to take afternoon tea.

Taking the car on one of Red Funnel’s regular ferries across the Solent to Cowes is easy. The journey takes around an hour and the place to be is the new Signature Lounge on selected crossings. For a small extra charge you can sit in comfort and away from the crowds to enjoy panoramic views of the passing scenery from your comfy armchair sipping a complimentary coffee or tea. Take your pick of pastries too. It was a great start.

On arrival in East Cowes it was then just a very short drive to my base for an all-too short stay on the island at Albert Cottage Hotel which is both charming and has its own connections with Victoria and Albert.

The 10-bedroom boutique hotel was bought in 1852 by Prince Albert to be part of the Botanic Garden development of the Osborne House estate, and was used together with the adjacent Osborne Cottage by royal guests.

You can walk in the footsteps of Royalty along a covered corridor constructed to link the two properties during the building’s Victorian heyday. Now it leads you from the main hotel to the Consort Restaurant and bar area.

When Queen Victoria died in 1901 Victoria’s youngest daughter Princess Beatrice briefly used the cottage before moving to Carisbrooke Castle in 1913.

My room was spacious and beautifully decorated with dark, Gothic-style furniture and the bathroom was enormous and luxurious with a big bath and spacious walk-in shower. As I was travelling with my sister this was ideal as the small suite included a separate bedroom.

A good night’s sleep and a hearty breakfast later it was just a couple of minutes’ drive to the first stop on Victoria’s Island Trail - Osborne House to delve more into Victoria’s life on the island.

It’s a stunning building from the outside, designed in an Italianate style by Prince Albert. But as soon as you enter the palace it is obvious this was a much-loved home too. The corridors are lined with classical-style statues many of which Victoria and Albert gave each other as gifts. Along the Indian corridor you’ll find a portrait of Abdul, the Queen’s servant and companion and the subject of the film featuring their relationship which stars Judi Dench and Bollywood actor Ali Fazal. Directed by Stephen Frears the film tells the story of an unlikely friendship between the Queen and her Indian servant who became her Munshi, or teacher. It was his grand clothes in the same portrait which initially sparked the interest of the book’s author Shrabani Basu. She felt he was not just an ordinary ‘servant’ and the film provides a fascinating insight into Victoria’s private life following Albert’s death in 1861.

The walkway leads to the spectacular and surprising Durbar Room inspired by Victoria’s role as Empress of India. Its intricate carvings are a marvel.

The rooms are sumptuously decorated, of course, but it’s easy to imagine the royal family living there. The nursery is particularly fascinating kept as it would have been for the royal couple’s children – nine in all - cots and toys still on display.

A framed family tree leaves visitors in no doubt how important this dynasty was in shaping Europe’s royal families today.

Queen Victoria’s bathtub is a revelation as is the bed where she died.

Albert was also particularly keen to teach his children the day to day necessities of life and in the charming Swiss cottage he built in the grounds the children could learn to cook and produce meals with fresh produce grown by their own hands in the cottage garden.

As a keen swimmer I was interested in visiting Osborne’s private beach where the public can take to the waters where Victoria also dipped her toe in the sea. Unfortunately, her private bathing hut is not available to the hoi polio, although it’s on display and makes a popular photo spot, but splashing about in the water is allowed. You can relax, enjoy the sea view and slurp an ice cream or cup of tea in the café too.

The beach is quite a long walk from the house but there are regular minibus shuttles available. Osborne House is a wonderful location where you can fill a whole day with activity.

Although I didn’t have time in just two days to enjoy all the stops on the trail, I’d urge anyone following in Victoria’s footsteps to visit the seaside resort of Ventnor and particularly Ventnor Botanic Garden, it’s a gem.

Billed as Britain’s hottest garden it is 5 degrees hotter than anywhere else thanks to the sheltered microclimate of Ventnor’s Undercliff. As I wandered around the 22 acres of the sub-tropical garden packed with 30,000 rare and exotic specimens it was difficult not to take snaps of every plant. They are spectacular and none more so than those in the Victorian-era Palm Garden. The Chusan Palms here are the oldest in the British Isles and were presented to Queen Victoria. She wanted them planted at Ventnor which was originally the site of a convalescent hospital for tuberculosis sufferers. The spot had been chosen for the health promoting benefits of the microclimate and the tradition of growing plants that promote wellbeing is still carried on at the botanic garden. There’s so much to discover here for all ages, not least some eye-poppingly large water lilies. It’s a fascinating and beautiful place to spend time and learn a lot about plants, their place in the world and how their preservation is so important to the planet we live on.

Also in Ventnor is The Royal Hotel, another favourite spot of Queen Victoria’s. The monarch came to Ventnor on recommendation of her surgeon Sir James Clark who was very vocal about the resort’s health giving climate. The Ventnor Hotel was renamed The Royal Hotel after the Queen visited to take afternoon tea in 1855. The hotel is stunning (not least because of its outdoor swimming pool) and taking the Royal afternoon tea on the south-facing Geranium Terrace was a very special experience. It’s the first time I’ve seen a ‘wall’ of geraniums. This climate really is out of the ordinary.

Filled to the brim with sandwiches and exquisite cakes, it was then on to Shanklin Chine. You may ask what is a chine? I had to look it up – it’s a steep-sided coastal river valley. But this does not prepare you for the almost mystical atmosphere of the verdant valley with a waterfall at the end of a not too difficult climb. At night it’s magical. Queen Victoria visited with her mother in 1833 aged 14. She also returned in 1846 with Prince Albert and Leopold and Louise, the Belgian King and Queen.

I was able to pack in one more stop on the trail at Carisbrooke Castle in Newport, once the residence of Queen Victoria’s daughter Beatrice. It was a royal prison in the Civil War of 1642-1651 and I was spellbound by the story that King Charles I was imprisoned here before his execution. He did try to escape out of one of his room’s narrow windows only to get stuck half way. Beatrice became Governor of the Isle of Wight in 1896 and lived with her mother the Queen at Osborne House. Her museum of local history is fascinating and don’t miss the 16th century well house where donkey power draws up water. The views from the castle’s Norman battlements are worth the climb too.

The other stops along the trail are:

St Mildred's Church, East Cowes

Just a short carriage ride from Osborne, St Mildred’s Church, Whippingham was redesigned by Prince Albert, and rebuilt in a style considered to be more suitable for the Royal family.

The family worshipped at St Mildred’s when in residence at Osborne. Queen Victoria’s youngest daughter Princess Beatrice and her husband were married here and buried here.

There’s a permanent exhibition of royal memorabilia in the church.

Newport Minster, Newport

Initially rebuilt by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert because they thought it wasn’t suitable to house the remains of Princess Elizabeth, Charles 1’s daughter, Prince Albert laid the foundation stone for the new church in 1854.

Queen Victoria also commissioned a marble memorial to Princess Elizabeth by sculptor Carlo Marochetti, which was presented to the church in 1857.

Northwood House, West Cowes

Bought in 1793, and extensively renovated in 1837, Northwood House was part of a huge estate owned by the Ward family. The manor house was the venue for Victorian high society balls and parties, many of which were attended by Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their family.

Needles Landmark Attraction, Alum Bay

The Marconi Monument at The Needles Landmark Attraction commemorates the spot where Guglielmo Marconi set up his revolutionary wireless equipment and sent the very first wireless transmission.

In August 1898, Queen Victoria was said to be “delighted” when Marconi, summoned to Osborne House, went on to establish radio communication between Queen Victoria at Osborne and the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) who was onboard the Royal Yacht ‘Osborne’.

Farringford, Freshwater Bay

The Isle of Wight retreat of Poet Laureate Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Farringford was the centre of the Freshwater Circle group of writers, artists and intellectuals.

Tennyson was a regular guest at Osborne. Prince Albert visited Farringford in 1856, leaving with a handpicked bunch of cowslips to take back for the Queen.

Blackgang Chine, Chale

Blackgang Chine received the royal seal of approval when Queen Victoria visited in August 1853 to see the skeleton of the whale that had washed up near the Needles – it was Blackgang Chine’s very first attraction which is still on view today.

Prince Consort Building, Ryde

Now a private residence, the Prince Consort building was previously known as the Royal Victoria Yacht Club and overlooks the Solent from the western end of the esplanade at Ryde. It was built as a private place for the Queen, because the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes would not allow female visitors - whether they were royal or not.

Egypt Point, West Cowes

The coastal viewpoint between Cowes and Gurnard was one of Queen Victoria's favourite places. The Queen had an irresistibly romantic nature and it was from here that she enjoyed the magnificent sunsets and a panoramic view of the Solent which people still love today.

Fort Victoria Country Park, Yarmouth

During the early part of Victoria’s reign, her Government made a huge investment to protect Portsmouth from the threat of French invasion and Prince Albert, an avid Army reformer, was involved in the design and naming of the first of Palmerston’s coastal defences on the Island, Fort Victoria.

Occupying a commanding view of the Solent west of Yarmouth, and now on the edge of a woodland country park, the Fort’s brick casemates currently host a series of indoor family attractions including an archaeology discovery centre, cafe, model railway, reptilarium and planetarium.

Factbox

Visit Isle of Wight

For more details and an interactive map of Victoria’s Island Trail, plus information on attractions, events, accommodation and more go to the official tourism website www.visitisleofwight.co.uk

Albert Cottage Hotel, East Cowes, PO32 6BD

B&B room rates: Double/Twin from £120 to £140 per night. 01983 299309.

www.albertcottagehotel.com

Royal Hotel, Ventnor PO38 1JJ

Royal afternoon tea £23pp.

http://royalhoteliow.co.uk/dining/royal-afternoon-tea

Shanklin Chine, PO37 6BW

Open April 7 to October 29, 2017

www.shanklinchine.co.uk/

Osborne, East Cowes, PO32 6JX

www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/osborne/

Carisbrooke Castle, Newport PO30 1XY

www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/carisbrooke-castle/

Ventnor Botanic Gardens, PO38 1UL

www.botanic.co.uk

You can also follow the Island’s Literary Heroes’ Trail on your next visit.

Red Funnel operates regular services between Southampton and Cowes on the Isle of Wight. The vehicle service between Southampton and East Cowes takes just 55 minutes and costs from £44 for a day return and £56 for a short-stay return for a vehicle and up to seven passengers. The high-speed foot-passenger Red Jet service between Southampton and West Cowes can take just 23 minutes and costs from £9.70 for an adult return. For more information please see www.redfunnel.co.uk

Red Funnel has recruited young film maker, vlogger and classic MINI enthusiast, Charlie Lower to produce a series of short films around his mini-adventures on the Isle of Wight. Accompanying each of the films is a downloadable itinerary which suggests lots of things to do and see during a short break on the island, find them at www.miniiowadventures.co.uk

Watch a trailer for the BigIoWAdventure at www.bigiowadventure.co.uk

Oakman Inns & Restaurants which operate venues across Northants, Bucks, Beds, Herts, Oxon, Warwikshire and beyond has announced that trading over the first half of financial year 2017/18 has been buoyant.

Like For Like sales for the 26 weeks ending Sunday 1st October were up 8.6% with total group sales up 27.5% at £13.5m.

Oakman was founded by restauranteur Peter Borg-Neal in his hometown of Tring and now boasts 20 pub-restaurants across nine counties with three more on the way in 2018.

Mr Borg-Neal said he as ‘absolutely delighted’ with the company’s performance over the first half of the year.

He said: “We have a real sense of momentum as we approach the vital Christmas trading period. The recent acquisition of The Anchor in Hullbridge and the reopening of The Betsey Wynne have added to that momentum – both are trading ahead of expectation. We are now on-site at the Beech House, Amersham, The Cherry Tree, Olney and The Royal Foresters, Ascot – all of which will open in the first half of 2018.”

“The key challenge we are experiencing is the increase in input prices driven by sterling weakness. We have seen a large increase in food prices whilst being very wary of passing them on to the consumer. However, the biggest impact on us is being seen in our capital expenditure costs. Items such as kitchen equipment and building materials have increased dramatically. When this is set against some of the other challenges to our trading it seems to us very likely that, without Government intervention, there will be a significant slowing of investment in our industry. We need action on a number of fronts including addressing the absurd level of Business Rates, a streamlining of Planning law and the removal of the unfair tax on food. Furthermore, I think Landlords need to recognise that there have been some structural changes to the sector business model and they will have to be more realistic about rent expectations. Equally, I call upon industry colleagues to think about the level of rent they are prepared to sign up to.”

“The strategy for Oakman remains the same with a focus on quality, great people and excellent sites. We were particularly delighted to have become the first pub company to be awarded the Princess Royal Training Award for training excellence.”

The Oakman Collection:

Hertfordshire:

Kings Arms, Berkhamsted

Banyers House, Royston

Beech House, St Albans

The Red Lion, Water End

The Akeman, Tring

Bedfordshire:

White Hart, Ampthill

Buckinghamshire:

Beech House, Beaconsfield

Dog & Badger, Medmenham

The Akeman Inn, Kingswood

Betsey Wynne, Swanbourne

Essex:

King’s Head, Chipping Ongar

The Anchor, Hullbridge

Northamptonshire:

The Navigation at Thrupp Wharf, Cosgrove

Oxfordshire:

The Crown & Thistle, Abingdon

The Old Post Office, Wallingford

Blue Boar, Witney

Warwickshire:

The Globe, Warwick

Four Alls, Welford on Avon

West Midlands:

Beech House, Solihull

Berkshire:

Walter Arms, Sindlesham

OPENING FIRST HALF 2018:

Beech House, Amersham

Cherry Tree, Olney

Royal Foresters, Ascot

One topless sunbather, one family death and one neurotic astronomer. Cue Sunspots, a heartwarming yet complex romantic comedy.

Writer David Lewis presents the audience with a labyrinth of layers in his modern play, performed by The Leighton Buzzard Drama Group (LBDG), as the characters deal with themes including dementia, religion, sexuality, mortality, sibling rivalry, and, of course - the love bug!

So, if you’ve come thinking it’s a simple ‘rom com’, you’re in for a delightful journey of twists and turns...

Tom (Ben Clarke) is a hapless astronomer, well an amateur one, still living in the top room of his family home with his father’s telescope - that just happens to be pointing in the direction of a rooftop sunbather!

Tom, his sister Clare (Caroline Page), and mother, Olive (Barbara Springthorpe), have welcomed their globe-trotting brother and son, Joe (Carl Russell) back home after the recent death of their father.

Old relationships settle back into place, as Clare is convinced that Joe is ‘mum’s favourite’, while poor Joe is starting to lose count of how many times he’s had to ‘come out of the closet’ to his mother - a devout Catholic suffering from dementia.

On top of this, they discover that Tom, a hypochondriac, is desperate to get in touch with the sunbather - he’s spotted a curious mark on her back and is convinced she’s got cancer. But is Lola (Trish Turner) who we really think she is?

The key, as noted by director Bob Jones, was for the actors to deliver natural “emotionally-charged lines”, before switching to humour.

Ben captured Tom’s innocence very well, especially his nervous mannerisms.

He and Trish created a palpable tension between the two lovers desperate to make a good first impression with each other, and it was hard to believe that this was only Trish’s third LBDG show, as she transformed her character from shy and careful to frank and vivacious with ease.

Caroline gave a very honest performance of Clare, dealing with the pain of her mother’s illness, her late father’s coldness towards Tom, and her jealousy of Joe, as the audience’s heart went out to her.

Meanwhile, Carl, who had a natural flair for comedy and witty one-liners , balanced the different sides of sarcastic sibling Joe confidently; it really came across that Joe had spent his years soul-searching.

Thanks to the cast, the three siblings and their mother had a great family dynamic, with Olive’s need to keep hoovering “heavy traffic” areas always receiving a hearty laugh, while Clare and Joe had silly sibling squabbles!

Barbara did wonderful work with Olive, who was an audience favourite, playing a woman taking one of life’s cruelest illnesses in her stride.

Warm and charming, Olive is a strong soldier muddling through daily life after the death of her husband - and behind the heavy hoovering. does she know more secrets than we think?

With a banana fight, biopsy, and big twist, the play was certainly another success for LBDG, as the cast gave the audience just as many laughs as poignant questions about the fragility of life, and relationships and fitting-in.

You can see Sunspots today (Friday October 13) and Saturday October 14 at 8pm in the Leighton Buzzard Library Theatre.

Tickets for the show can be booked by calling the box office on 0300 300 8125 or alternatively by visiting www.leightonbuzzardlibrarytheatre.co.uk.

It’s official ... ‘man flu’ DOES exist - because men are more likely to call in sick with a cold than women are, according to new research.

A detailed study found that men go to the doctor with common cold symptoms more frequently than women.

One in 12 men admits to having visited the doctor with a runny nose, the poll of 2,000 people found.

But despite men taking more time off work for the common cold, 84 per cent claim to ‘battle through’ a cold as much as possible without letting it affect day-to-day life.

Further bad news for blokes is that women reckon their partners embellish their ‘illness’ when suffering from man-flu.

More than half the women who took part (55 per cent) said their bloke regularly ‘exaggerated’ the symptoms and 49 per cent went as far as to say this sparked arguments.

The study also found 63 per cent of men claim to ‘battle through’ flu, but experts believe they are actually more likely to be suffering from the sniffles.

Nick Thayer, Pharmacist at Well Pharmacy, which commissioned the survey, said: “When suffering from a cold, it is feasible that a person can keep going and power through their symptoms.

“However, it’s a misconception that people can ‘battle through’ flu, as symptoms are too severe and can last for weeks.

“Only 56 per cent of men in this survey called in sick to work and only 55 per cent cancelled social plans when they thought they had flu, which would suggest to me that they probably just had a particularly nasty cold rather than flu, where symptoms of fever, fatigue, vomiting and muscle pain are likely to leave you bedridden with little choice in the matter.”

Compassion fatigue

Cases of ‘man flu’ are resulting in women being less compassionate, with just half of women showing signs of sympathy compared to 66 per cent of males.

And any sympathy mustered lasts just 33 hours on average.

With that said, females are more likely to take care of their loved one with 61 per cent topping up medication and generally making their partner feel comfortable.

Nearly 40 per cent of women said their partner refuses to do anything due to sickness, and reported feeling under pressure to do more around the house as a result.

Perhaps unsurprisingly then, the study conducted by OnePoll.com, found over a third of those polled agreed illness caused arguments in their relationship.

And 10 per cent admitted they won’t even come near each other for fear of getting sick.

Despite flu having a significant impact on the quality of life of those surveyed, nearly half had never had a flu vaccination.

Just under two fifths of Brits haven’t had the vaccination because it hasn’t been explicitly recommended to them by a healthcare professional with one quarter under the impression it’s mainly for the elderly.

And one third believe they are healthy and therefore don’t need one.

Nick Thayer from Well Pharmacy continued, “This research highlights the fact that people usually only get a flu jab if a medical professional has told them to. If the jab hasn’t been recommended for them, then fit and healthy adults often don’t get one.”

If you’re prone to hangover hell every time the bubbly is popped Lidl have answered your prayers with a prosecco that’s allegedly hangover free.

The Organic Prosecco Spumante from the German discount supermarket will be available in stores from Thursday 12th October and will only cost £7.99 – a mere price to pay if you want to avoid a fuzzy head at work the next day.

But if you’re thinking this is all too good to be true, Lidl’s master of wine, Richard Bampfield, explains how their latest addition to the booze aisle will actually save on the hangovers thanks to the science behind organic wines.

Richard says: “We’ve all had that shocking wine hangover. This is sometimes attributed to the sulphite preservatives used in wine to keep them fresher for longer.

“Generally, organic wine producers use a lower level of sulphites in the production process, which means they are less likely to contribute to hangovers.

“So if you don’t react well to sulphites you could be saying good riddance to hangovers with Lidl’s Organic Prosecco Spumante.”

Lidl’s Organic Prosecco Spumante is in stores from this Thursday (12th October).

A sweetener used in fizzy drinks, cakes, biscuits and ice cream is fuelling a potentially fatal liver disease in children, according to new research.

Fructose, the most deadly form of sugar, is far more damaging to health than glucose - and now scientists can explain why.

And it is triggering an early form of fatty liver disease in youngsters, a condition normally associated with alcoholics which can lead to cancer, strokes and heart problems.

The illness is a growing issue among British children with one in four now clinically obese by the time they are 15.

First author Dr Samir Softic, of Joslin Diabetes Centre, Boston, said: “The disease is much more worrisome in a child of thirteen who goes from normal liver to fatty liver to liver inflammation over the span of several years than in somebody who has been overweight for 30 years.

“Kids also eat more sugar than adults, so fructose may be even more of a risk factor in children, which would add to their years of poor health.”

Natural corn syrup

High-fructose corn syrup is used in sweetened beverages and many other processed foods.

It is found naturally in fruit but manufacturers remove the fibre and nutrients to give an instant sugar rush.

Now experiments have found mice fed fructose suffered much worse metabolic effects than those given similar calories of glucose, the other component in table sugar.

In the study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation the animals were given either regular or high fat diets, and drank either plain water or water sweetened with fructose or glucose.

Over 10 weeks, none of the animals on a regular diet developed insulin resistance, a key factor in metabolic diseases such as diabetes, although those consuming either form of sugar gained substantially more weight.

But among mice on a high-fat diet, significant differences emerged between those drinking fructose and glucose.

Dr Softic, a paediatric gastroenterologist at Boston Children’s Hospital, said: “Fructose was associated with worse metabolic outcomes.”

Mice on the high-fat diet become much more obese and more insulin-resistant compared to their peers on the glucose diet.

Liver fat

And while both groups of animals added fat to their livers, its composition was quite different.

Co-author Professor Ronald Kahn explained that comparing the six diets “gave us a much more precise way of saying ‘what is the role of fructose versus glucose in the diet, and how bad is it when it’s added to a normal diet versus a diet high in fat.’”

The researchers also discovered production of an enzyme called Khk, required for the first step of fructose metabolism, was increased in the livers of mice who drank fructose.

When the scientists examined liver samples from obese human teenagers with fatty liver disease, they also found higher levels of Khk.

The Khk enzyme is specifically important in fructose, but not glucose, metabolism.

Prof Kahn said: “Although fructose and glucose are both sugars, cells handle them very differently.”

That may offer a target to clamp down on fructose metabolism.

Glucose tolerance

Further experiments on mice found reducing the protein lowered liver weight and improved glucose tolerance, most strikingly among those on the high-fat and fructose diet.

Prof Kahn said: “This disease is almost always associated with obesity.

“Once your fat cells get really full of fat and they can’t hold any more, fat winds up going in other tissues, and the liver is the next best place.”

Almost all obese people with diabetes add some fat to their livers.

Dr Softic said: “These people are more at risk of developing fatty liver disease, just as those with fatty liver disease are more at risk of developing diabetes, since obesity is being a predisposing factor for both conditions.”

As obesity spreads worldwide, so will the burden of fatty liver disease and associated liver failure, which is predicted to become the most common factor driving the need for liver transplants, he added.

A healthy liver should contain little or no fat but it is estimated one in every three Britons has early stages of fatty liver disease where there are small amounts of fat in their liver.

It is also feared up to one in ten children now have liver disease.

There are 3.5 million people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK and an estimated 500,000 who are living undiagnosed with the condition.

A recent study suggested fructose is the deadliest sugar you can eat because it boost harmful cholesterol raising the risk of diabetes, heart attacks and stroke.

Gamers are set for what looks like the best month of releases in a decade from Tuesday (October 17).

No fewer than 17 potentially top titles launch between October 17 and November 17 across PlayStation 4, XBox One, PC and Nintendo Switch.

It is difficult to say which will be the star release but - based on the reception it received at the recent EGX games exhibition at the NEC - brand new Super Mario Odyssey looks an early favourite for that honour.

It all kicks off on Tuesday with the release of four games; Gran Turismo Sport (PS4), Rogue Trooper Redux, South Park: The Fractured But Whole and WWE 2K18 (all formats).

GT is the undoubted pick of that particular crop and was another to receive plenty of attention and praise at EGX with a return to its arcadey roots.

Another four hit our machines between October 19 and 24 with something for everyone as Age Of Empires: Definitive Edition (PC), Fire Emblem Warriors (Switch), Destiny 2 (PC) and Just Dance 2018 (all) land.

Three days later on October 27 comes the big one as the long-awaited Super Mario Odyssey finally arrives on Switch and on the same day we also get 
Assassin’s Creed Origins (all) and Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (all).

As if that wasn’t enough you get a week to make hay before the hotly anticipated Call of Duty: WWII (all) strikes on November 3 followed by Super Lucky’s Tale (Xbox One) on November 7 and Need for Speed: Payback (all) on November 10.

It’s not done there, though, as Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 (all) comes out three days later on November 13 before The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Switch) on the 17th and another eagerly awaited title Star Wars Battlefront II - complete with a story mode AT LAST - on all formats on the same day.

And breathe!

So there you have it an exciting and costly month for gamers with a little something for all ages and tastes.

Two employees at a restaurant chain are celebrating their 20th anniversary of working there.

Terry Bradley-Goodship began as a crew member at the McDonald’s in Hockliffe in 1997, alongside Carl Pickard, who also celebrates his 20th year at the company, running the restaurant in Royston.

Both have moved up the ranks and now work as business managers at the respective restaurants.

Both have acquired a range of life experience in their time at work.

Carl met his wife Kelly while originally a crew member in Hockliffe, and they are now married with three children. Kelly still works at the Hockliffe restaurant as an administrator.

Terry completed the McDonald’s foundation degree in Managing Business Operations in 2011 and has taken secondments within his group as a people manager and brand ambassador.

Franchisee Ismail Anilmis, who owns and runs 10 restaurants, including at Hockliffe and Royston, said: “I’m so proud to celebrate Carl and Terry’s impressive tenure at the company.

“Both are outstanding members of the team who have worked hard to grow the business since their very first days. I look forward to working with them for many more years to come.”

Terry said: “I’ve had such brilliant opportunities at McDonald’s and have loved every minute.

“No two days are ever the same, and you get to work with brilliant people such as Carl and Ismail. I’d like to thank them both.”

A Leighton Buzzard boutique held a successful autumn fashion show to raise money for a local charity.

Soyou Boutique held the event on October 6 at the Brooklands Club to raise money and awareness for the Hospice at Home Volunteers.

With the help of the local community, they managed to raise £725 for the charity through the sale of raffle tickets, donation buckets and a percentage of the ticket sales.

Rosa Cristini, owner of Soyou Boutique, said: “We were absolutely delighted with the support from the local community.

“All those who came loved that we used our customers as our models, with ages spanning from 15 to 75-plus.

“The show was so successful that customers have now asked for a spring/summer event.

“We will continue to use our events to raise money for local charities as well as to promote and encourage people to shop locally.”

Hospice at Home Volunteers is a registered charity, set up in 1995.

The charity offers a free, confidential service to families living with a terminal or life-limiting illness, who are registered with a Leighton/Linslade doctor.

For more details go to http://hospiceathomevolunteers.org.uk/

A youth group, organised by local charity, KidsOut, enjoyed a special day out to watch MK Dons take on Northampton Town after employees at law firm Osborne Morris & Morgan donated 20 football match tickets.

KidsOut, who celebrated their 25th anniversary this year, provide positive experiences for children who are living in refuge, economic hardship or other acute disadvantages.

A youth worker who helped to take the children on the day said: “It was a nice time out from the routine and for the first time we, as a group, went together to watch a football match in a stadium.

“It was a great opportunity for kids to experience live performance and enjoy the loud noise and improve their confidence.”

Practice manager at Osborne Morris and Morgan in Leighton Buzzard, Paul Lockhart, said: “We’re extremely keen to support local charities and once we acquired the tickets from the MK Dons Sport and Education Trust (SET), we decided that we wanted to donate the football tickets to KidsOut.

“The charity is based in Leighton Buzzard and does incredible work for vulnerable children and their families. We are truly proud to support all that they do.

“We’d like to thank MK Dons SET for the tickets and allowing us to pass them on to a worthy cause”

To find out how to help KidsOut, visit their website www.kidsout.org.uk

There’s lots for families to do at Woburn Safari Park this half term (October 20-28).

In addition to the usual safari fun, visitors can discover breath-taking autumnal parklands, fluffy new faces and meet PAW Patrol’s dynamic super-pup, Chase (as seen on Nick Jr).

Among the new creatures in the Foot Safari are new female red panda arrivals, Mali and Mambo, who can be spotted climbing the trees and racing through an overhead walkway which connects their red panda pad to an outdoor play area.

Gus is a new addition to the Foot Safari’s Sea Lion Cove. Not only is Gus the first Californian sea lion born at the park in 12 years, he is also very vocal in his demands for food!

Families can spot new arrivals on the Road Safari too, as Woburn has welcomed the births of four endangered Rothschild’s giraffe calves. The first calf has been named Arrow (after the Rothschild’s coat of arms), and the others, named Ruedi, Robin and Ronnie, were born just days apart.

The busy keepers have also welcomed the birth of female patas monkey, Rayner, and three endangered Barbary macaques, including one as-yet unnamed female and two males, named Robert and Rafaki (from the Lion King).

PAW Patrol’s police pup Chase is at the park on Saturday, October 28. Meet him at the Mammoth Play Ark in the Foot Safari, where he will be making special appearances at 11.30am, 12.30pm, 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm.

An office furniture manufacturer in Leighton Buzzard has turned an annual football match into a charity fundraiser.

Pledge Office Chairs Ltd gets together for a football match with Interfoam Ltd in Bedford every year. This year they decided to use the match to support local charity Home-Start.

The charity has been providing vital support services to children and their families since 1984 and helps local young children struggling to cope with difficulties in life, such as disabilities and additional needs; domestic violence and abuse; poverty, financial issues and unsafe environments; mental ill health and bereavement

The football match was held on September 24 at Leighton Town Football Club thanks to the club’s chairman, Iain McGregor.

There was also a raffle with very generous donations given by suppliers of the two companies.

To raise extra donations, some employees also did a coastal walk.

So far the company has raised £1,690 and would like to continue to support Home-Start and make others aware of them.

For details see www.home-startcentralbeds.org.uk

A children’s toy has been recalled by Babies ‘R’ Us following fears that it could pose a choking hazard.

The Bruin Wiggle Ball - known as the ‘Giggle Ball’ - is studded with distinctive rubber knobs.

It has been found that these, and the plastic back, can detach from the ball creating a small part, posing a choking hazard.

According to the manufacturer, the toy - item number 067369, model code: 5F6342E - should immediately be taken from babies and returned to Babies ‘R’ Us or Toys ‘R’ Us for a refund.

A worried mum has slammed Central Beds Council for “tolerating” dangerous motorists who are repeatedly parking on yellow lines outside a Leighton Buzzard lower school.

Leia Blakesley, who puts her son in a high-vis vest for the walk to Clipstone Brook Lower School because she is so worried about his safety, says the council’s traffic enforcement officers have been instructed not to enforce parking restrictions if the breach is less than five minutes.

Signage by the school on Brooklands Drive forbids parking between 8.30am-9.30am and 2.30pm to 4pm on Mondays to Fridays.

But after being told by one of the council wardens about the grace period for offenders, she was furious when CBC this week openly admitted to her there was a policy of tolerance in operation.

The council confirmed to the LBO that the council would only take action if a vehicle had been on yellow lines “for five minutes under constant observation” by an enforcement officer.

The response enraged Leia, who said: “Sorry, but that statement goes against the rules of the road! It’s ridiculous. The signs mean no-one should park there. So basically they’re now giving people free rein to park without being ticketed! Just shows how much they actually care about the kids’ safety. They should start upholding the law, not allowing people to break it.”

The mum has put in Freedom of Information Act requests to the council to find out how many visits by enforcement officers there have been since new yellow lines went down earlier this year, and has also demanded to know how many tickets have been dished out too.

“I see three to five cars parked on the lines every day since the lines have been there,” she said. “I’ve seen some cars on the single yellow lines for 20 minutes. It’s a lower school so it’s not a case of letting them jump out of the car, you’ve got to physically take them into the school.

And it’s not just at Clipstone where the tolerance policy has riled locals. Another man said: “Just picked up my granddaughter from Leedon School and see a traffic warden just standing and watching people park on yellow lines.”

A Central Beds spokesman said: “Whilst we encourage sustainable forms of travelling to schools, such as walking, trains and buses, because Central Bedfordshire is a rural area people often use their cars to do the school run.

“We would prefer parents to park further away from schools where there are not parking restrictions. But we do show a degree of tolerance towards people who park very briefly on a yellow line in order to drop off/collect their kids from school.

“However we do have officers down there to ensure there is safety, and anyone who parks for too long would get a parking ticket, and anyone who parks on the zig-zag lines outside schools will get an immediate ticket. The zig-zags are there as a specific warning to motorists not to stop in this part of the road.

“As each school situation is unique, our policy is to look separately at the needs of each. Restrictions are part of a suite of measures that are designed to provide a ‘school safety zone’.

“The extent of restrictions has to take into account the demand for parking within the locality, which in turn reflects whether adjoining properties have off-street parking. Parking near schools is not necessarily a bad thing, provided that it is done sensibly and not on the zig-zags: parked cars also have a traffic calming effect and can help slow the speed of traffic in the vicinity of the school gate.

“However safety around schools is of the utmost priority to us and we do our best to enforce this. We have carried out 24 enforcement visits to Clipstone Brook Lower School area during school term dates this year. We will continue ensure that Clipstone Brook Lower School remains on our priority school enforcement list to help address the issues it faces.”

Back in April, CBC said it was upping the number of traffic wardens to tackle dangerous and illegal parking in Leighton Buzzard.

Leighton-Linslade Town Council’s partnership committee was also told by CBC how incorrect, faded or missing signage and markings had been making it difficult for CBC to enforce parking restrictions.

As a result a long list of works was commissioned. The council also pledged to develop an improved schools enforcement programme.

Last summer five CBC councillors were appointed to review parking issues outside of schools, particularly in light of the implications of school expansion, and come up with “cost neutral” recommendations.

Their findings included encouraging schools to produce travel plans, production of a school parking leaflet, 20mph signage and better signage of restrictions, enforcing parking restrictions “taking into account existing resources”.

Lower and primary schools should also be encouraged to allocate a designated member of staff to manage collection and drop off of children, and also work closely with the local community in order to maximise shared resources including utilising village hall car parks, local supermarkets.

A council report stated at the time: “The numbers of accidents, incidents and collisions around schools in Central Bedfordshire are relatively low at 25 incidents out of a total of 18,765 pupils. As a result the inquiry felt that the council’s current policy was effective in minimising risks and prioritising the safety of school children.

“There is no current policy in place in Central Bedfordshire with regards to parking enforcement outside of schools but breaches are prioritized on a case by case basis. The future appointment of an additional enforcement officer would enable a focus specifically on this area.”

What do you think of the council’s five minute policy? Email news@lbobserver.co.uk

For the first time in two years online streaming giant, Netflix, has raised its monthly subscription prices for UK customers.

The monthly cost of a basic will remain at £5.99, however, standard and premium membership prices are set to rise.

Standard membership will jump from £7.49 to £7.99 a month, and Premium membership set to rise from £8.99 to £9.99 for users.

New subscribers to Netflix will immediately pay the new rates whereas existing customers will see price increases from 19 October and be given 30 days notice of the change

New content for 2018

The online streaming service, which currently has 104 million subscribers globally, will also be raising rates for the US, France and Germany this year.

Netflix have released a statement regarding the price hikes:

“From time to time, Netflix plans and pricing are adjusted as we add more exclusive TV shows and movies, introduce new product features and improve the overall Netflix experience to help members find something great to watch even faster.”

Netflix is set to provide more original content in 2018 and already has a budget of $6 billion for new productions.

The new money generated from the subscription price rises is expected to contribute towards the production of new original content.

When it comes to spicy food, can you handle the heat?

If the answer to the question above is ‘yeah, no sweat’, then you’re in luck.

Morrisons has just come out with the nation’s hottest supermarket curry.

The super spicy dish, titled the ‘Volcanic Vindaloo’ is the hottest curry on our supermarket shelves, and is available now in Morrisons stores all over the country.

The naga viper chilli with which it is made is 200 times hotter than a jalapeno or Tabasco sauce. As well as these chillis - which have a Scoville rating of 1,382, 118 - the curry is topped with roasted whole green chillis.

As you might expect, the Volcanic Vindaloo - created as part of a collaboration with some curry experts to celebrate National Curry week - comes with a heat warning.

Morrisons recommends only people over 16 try the dish due to the heat it packs.

Morrisons ready meals expert Sean Gill said: “Curry fans have been telling us that they just don’t get the fiery heat they want from ordinary ready meal curries.

“With this in mind we decided to take up their challenge and create the hottest ready meal in the country – something with the extreme heat you get when you order a Vindaloo in your favourite restaurant.

“I’m used to tasting spicy curries as part of my job but this one blew my head off. It tastes fantastic but my mouth felt like it was on fire. You definitely need to have a glass of milk ready.”

The Volcanic Vindaloo costs just £1.50 and will be on sale for a limited period only.